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2023

Sfs Team discussed and presented on Social Innovation in Barcelona

Jürgen Howaldt, Antonius Schröder and Michael Kohlgrüber at the Open Living Lab Days in Barcelona

Discussion at Open Living Lab Days © sfs
High-Level Session: Living Labs in Transition: exploring the role of living labs in the quadruple helix. Left to right: Artur Serra (i2Cat), Jürgen Howaldt, (TU Dortmund), Georgia Ayfantopoulou (Center of Research & Technology Hellas, Thessaloniki Smart Mobility Living Lab (ThessM@LL)), Fernando Vilariño, (Computer Vision Centre UAB), Rosa Arias (European Citizen Science Association), Isabella Longo (BIT Habitat – Ajuntament de Barcelona)

Living Labs as frameworks for participatory research are closely linked to Social Innovation. Thus, they are also tested in Living Labs and innovative practices are brought to life. Supported by the European School of Social Innovation (ESSI), the annual conference of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) took place at the end of September, where Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt, Dr. Michael Kohlgrüber and Antonius Schröder put the topic of social innovation on the agenda with a focus on the question of cross-sector collaboration in Living Labs and Industry 5.0.

From 21st to 22nd September, more than 400 interested people from a wide range of scientific disciplines, civil society initiatives, companies as well as politics and public administration from all over the world found their way to Barcelona for the Open Living Lab Days of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). The annual ENoLL conference was supported by the European School of Social Innovation (ESSI) and offered numerous starting points for discussions on the relationship between Social Innovation (SI) and living labs.

In a symposium with high-ranked representatives from various organisations from different sectors of society, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt, Director of the Social Research Centre and Chairman of ESSI, discussed the relationship between Living Labs and cross-sector collaboration. Among other things, he emphasised the potential of the collaboration between SI researchers, social innovators and Living Labs for addressing social challenges. Social Innovations could thus be centrally anchored in Living Labs and have an impact as new social practices far beyond the creation of technology acceptance.

Antonius Schröder, member of the management board of the Social Research Centre and Managing Director of ESSI, together with Dr Michael Kohlgrüber (Social Research Centre) gave insights into their work on Industry 5.0 as a new concept for an industry that is more strongly oriented towards social needs and benefits from digitalisation. The two presentations and the subsequent discussions were complemented by a presentation by Dr Peter Oeij (TNO) about the project BRIDGES 5.0.

 

Link to ESSI

Link to ENoLL

Link to the Open Living Lab Days

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